With the increasing popularity of online shopping, brick and mortar stores continuously look for ways to keep consumers coming into stores and, more importantly, to make their purchases in stores. Brick and mortar stores do not desire to be a “showroom” for an online store.
However, shopping in large or complex stores can become a disconnecting experience where the consumer focuses on finding a particular item as quickly as possible and then leaving. Consumers who are disconnected from the in-store experience are more likely to research prices online and order the item from an online competitor. With the advent of smartphone technology, consumers can research prices and purchase from an online competitor while standing in front of the physical product.
Engaging consumers can lead to an in-store experience differentiation that can overcome the “showroom” effect and lead to higher conversion rates and larger market baskets. For example, some stores have tried using greeters to direct consumers to the products of interest or trained staff who roam department aisles to give advice.